Iran Conflict Divides US Opinion as Guterres Urges Restraint

The United States’ military confrontation with Iran is dividing public opinion and could create political challenges for Republicans in the upcoming congressional elections, President Donald Trump said on Thursday, while leaving open the possibility of further military action.

Trump acknowledged that the issue has split Americans, but said he believed preventing Iran from building nuclear weapons justified the political risk.

“People may like it in one sense because I am doing what previous presidents should have done a long time ago,” Trump told reporters before leaving Washington. “On the other hand, some people may not like it. There could be a political price, and I knew that when I made this decision. But we cannot allow Iran to have nuclear weapons.”

The president did not provide details about any new military plans, possible targets or timing. He said the United States had caused major damage to Iran during the war and that additional steps might follow, but he did not offer a formal briefing or official figures on the losses.

Trump also argued that many Americans, including what he described as patriotic citizens, back the operation. He said the Republican Party’s results in the coming elections would depend heavily on whether its supporters turned out in large numbers.

At the United Nations in New York, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres issued a warning about the wider consequences of escalating violence. He said the effects of the conflict were now reaching far beyond the countries directly involved, through energy markets, sea trade routes, supply chains and financial systems.

Guterres called for an end to the fighting, the protection of civilian lives and renewed diplomatic efforts. He said he would travel to Egypt on Friday, noting that Egypt is one of the countries mediating tensions between Washington and Tehran. However, he did not announce any agreement, breakthrough or scheduled meeting between US and Iranian representatives.